


The Way He Touched Our Lives

by covacola



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2020-10-19 19:30:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20662523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/covacola/pseuds/covacola
Summary: Small collection of ficlets to organize some hcs on how Eiichi found everyone in HEAVENSif there's any canon conflicting info pls lemmie know bc wow am I behind the times??Will probably change the title later oof





	1. Van

Music hadn't actually been his first choice. He'd sung and whatever before, but it'd all just been for shits and giggles-- and usually pushed by a dare or the like from friends. 

It wasn't difficult to think he'd been a lady-killer in school. Athletic and socially talented, he was usually surrounded by crowds. He hadn't been the most academic, and for all his popularity, he never quite made it far enough for significant scholarships. Not that he would have taken it. School, as a concept, was not his thing. 

Social butterfly or not, his status as a school ground Prince ended with his final year. Strained familial ties and no plans for further schooling pushed him directly into the underpaid workforce. But it worked out in the end. 

Chance, that's all it was. He wasn't big on the idol scene, so he hadn't recognized the first Otori son. Even now, he has no idea what exactly it was, maybe a mix of things. He didn't know Eiichi, so he never treated him differently. Takes one to know one, as the saying goes. He recognized a flirt when he saw one. The girls at his soul crushing entry level job seemed so taken, a bit of fan service seemed only natural. 

He hadn't expected the banter to be so much fun. He found himself nearly as excited as the ladies when Eiichi would stop by. Already a regular, perhaps it'd only been a matter of time. 

Okay, so. Maybe he'd lied about his nonchalance for music. A slow day made for good goofing off opportunity. He acted like he didn't, but he knew exactly which Maroon 5 song that'd been playing when he'd started singing along. Shopfront nearly empty, chill manager uncaring, and the sudden interest from his fellow coworkers had him singing at full volume by the chorus. He'd gotten used to him playing along by this point, so he'd taken it in stride when Eiichi had started to duet with him. It'd been a blast. 

Once the song ended, he'd turned to laugh and joke with the younger man, but instead found a serious expression there. Then, seven words-- of course it'd been _ seven _. Seven, simple words, and his life had changed irrevocably. "Have you ever seriously considered singing professionally?"

He'd blinked a few times, unsure if Eiichi was being serious. He laughed it off, waving what he was taking as a buttered-up compliment off. But the look in Eiichi's eyes. The sudden drop in his stomach. 

Eiichi continued as a regular, but for some reason Van had been very reluctant to even speak in his sing-song banter. Music? That had to be a joke. What, was he going to be an idol or something? Maybe he had the looks, and it wasn't like he wasn't fit, but... It just seemed so far fetched. People trained for years. And wasn't he a bit old to be recruited for something like that? 

Apparently not. 

He got to know Eiichi more and more over the next few months. Every time he came in, he always had that glint in his eye-- one he was coming to understand more and more, and the intensity unsettled him. Then, one day, he saw it. 

One of his female coworkers waved him over after while waiting for some last annoying customers to take the hint and dip for the night. She showed him a PV for some new idol group. His eyes widened. Eiichi, there in the forefront. HEAVENS. 

He tried not to think about it. And yet he found himself following the groups teasers just as fanatically as his coworkers. He brushed it off as some form of being starstruck. It was just that he knew the guy. That was all. It convinced the others, anyway. 

It took longer than he'd expected, but it was inevitable. Eiichi didn't even bother with any preamble. He just walked in, walked right up to Van, and made his offer. He'd made it clear that there'd be others starting late in the game, too. Previously unmentioned, secret members to be debuted at a later point. It was all so intense, and maybe that's why he declined. 

Eiichi shrugged, but he knew that fire in his eyes when he left his cell number-- was that even safe for an idol? He was a civilian. But, whatever. He was cool, he was chilling. He wasn't going to take it up, though. 

So why did his heart tighten at the thought of sitting on the sidelines, Otori Eiichi being just some guy he knew. 

Why wasn't he able to just ditch the number? His hand hovered over just about every trash can for about a week following. 

Why were memories of performances, not even just musical ones, suddenly coming back to him? 

And what was this feeling when he looked back at it all? 

He wasn't impulsive, per se. But he was never one to say no to his heart. He didn't like being cramped up. He didn't like things that got heavy or had to be taken too too seriously. But he was serious. It'd only taken him a week to decide. 

It wasn't until after he'd made his official debut that he even stopped to wonder _ and what else was I expecting to do with my life? _

He firmly believed in the idea that one should always trust their hearts and their instincts. That avoiding it was never anything but a waste of time. He'd been hesitant because he wasn't very good with commitment, but it'd only taken him to realize his heart _ already had _ committed. He just hadn't wanted to acknowledge it. 

It didn't feel like Eiichi had handed him his number. It felt like he'd handed him the key to a cage he'd locked himself in. And as he heard Eiichi's voice over the line, it didn't feel like he was agreeing to a proposal. 

It felt like he was finally ready to take that first step outside. 


	2. Yamato

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> headcanons? 
> 
> headcanons.

Yamato had spent a lot of time away from the limelight. He was sick of it. Sick of being the younger brother. Sick of never being enough. Sick of the spotlights and paparazzi and all of it.

They called it a bug, which was well enough. It felt like he’d been bitten by something, like an itch or rash that wouldn’t go away or let him keep still for too long. He just  _ had _ to be doing something. He got into various recreational activities, but the first time he’d scaled up the side of a mountain with one of his buddies, he knew he’d found his passion. The view was amazing, the scenery knocking out what little breath he’d had left. The physical activity itself was good, but it was, well,  _ grounding _ for him. 

At the top, he’d finally gotten to rest. Take a breath. Think things through far above the expectations and smothering stares. He wasn’t content. He’d have to do more. 

So he'd gone back of his own accord. Nothing had changed. He still hated the attention, he still loathed the smothering nature of the industry. But he’d gritted his teeth and just trudged along. It was pure chance that he’d run into Eiichi, actually. (Wasn’t it always?) He’d been talking with someone about some project he didn’t care about in a role he couldn’t get into. Things were getting heated, his irritation getting the best of him. He’d decided to step out for a moment to clear his head, get some water, whatever. 

That was where he’d run into Otori Eiichi. At some random water fountain at some random recording studio. “Hey, you’re Hyuuga--” 

_ “Yamato _ , yeah,” he gritted, his annoyance flairing, “whaddyou want--” He’d looked up, expecting to see that same stupid look on some fanboys face. Instead, he was met with an even stare. It was almost creepy in its intensity. He was smirking, which was kinda weird, but you got those kinds in the industry sometimes. “Uh, can I help you?” His tone was rude, but that only made the man smile more. It then occured to him that he didn’t immediately recognize this guy. He didn’t carry himself like a recruiter or manager, but there was something. He might be an idol with those looks, but he didn’t have the bearing-- not entirely. 

It was odd. Usually, as a child of the industry, Yamato could usually  _ glance _ at someone and know 1) what they did in the idol industry(managment, marketing, composing, idols), 2) how successful they generally were(one hit wonders, occasional background roles, current top listers, long time success), and 3) how exactly they’d relate to his family(wanted in with, already worked with, worked against). But this guy, he seemed familiar, but he couldn’t immediately place him. He scrutinized the man before him, not bothering with politeness, especially now. “Who’re you?” 

His smile broadened even more. Hell it was creepy. “Otori Eiichi.” 

Yamato felt his eyes widen and his jaw drop. Otori Eiichi, as the list went: 1) idol, own group recruiter, composer some even said. 2) up and coming but already with an insane cult following. 3) to his family,  _ entirely irrelevant _ . Everyone knew Ryuuya would be with Shining until he stopped performing, and the Raging Otori / Shining Saotome rivalry was still relevant to date. But Eiichi had, despite being direct heir and successor to this shitshow, had always maintained an openly neutral stance. He was furthering Raging Agency, of course, but for the most part, he didn’t really give a shit. More than that, he never let anyone (so far as he knew) give  _ him _ shit. 

He wasn’t starstruck by any means, but he could, for obvious reasons, appreciate an industry child who was essentially telling his old man to suck it. 

“I don’t take you for someone who gives a damn about diplomacy for this kind of thing, so I’ll be outright,” Eiichi had said.

_ Finally _ , he thought _ someone who knows not to bullshit me _ . Like that could have prepared him. 

“I want you to join HEAVENS.” 

Yamato blinked. That didn’t sound like an offer. Instinctually, he wanted to fight, but... He tilted his head, thinking it over. Work in a rival industry. 

“I think it’d be a good fresh start,” Eiichi continued, echoing Yamato’s own thoughts, “put a little distance between you now and your past work.” 

Yamato snorted, “I thought we were ditching diplomacy,” he quipped. 

Eiichi laughed. “Okay, then I’ll just say it.” He reached out a hand, “wanna spite the hell outta your older brother and the rest of your family?” 

Yamato smiled, “is that what you’re doing?” 

“Yep.” 

“Then you’ve got yourself a deal.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took me too long. I knew what I wanted to write, but I just got so side tracked with everything else oof. Promise it won't take another month to write the next one.


	3. Shion

Shion came from a relatively wealthy family. Relatively. He didn't really know the details, and honestly he didn't really care to. All he knew was that they expected, maybe even needed a good son. And Shion, despite what the droves of caretakers and doctors and therapists said, he knew he was not their definition of a "good kid."

He wasn't rowdy. On the contrary, he was "too quiet." He didn't think he was "high maintenance," he just wished they'd leave him be sometimes. He did do bad stuff like play with kids he wasn't supposed to or talk back or act out. But he did do bad stuff like having a hard time being nice to a family friend's daughter, not being able to explain himself right away, or not being able to handle a lot of things on his own. 

He also knew he was bad because he didn't take his medications. They made him feel even weirder. Made it harder to think sometimes. It didn't help any. His psychiatrist said they'd find something to help him, but honestly he didn't think he wanted it. But there were other things too. 

He was a bad kid because he couldn't keep his anger in check. He didn't tell or throw things, but he "made faces" and "was difficult." Sometimes he felt empty. He wasn't ignoring his parents or caretakers, he just couldn't bring himself to respond. To anything. And when his Psychiatrist had suggested medication for that, he and his parents had once again been at odds, though he hadn't fought them. 

He had just been here to tell the psychiatrist, for sure, he wasn't going to be taking additional meds. But she'd pressed a question. He wasn't stupid, he knew what would happen if he admitted he wanted to try it, but his parents didn't. He should have just lied. But he wasn't supposed to lie. Lying to your doctors was bad, but this was bad too. And it was especially bad as his mother walked in, having been called to have a "brief discussion" with her. It was hard to tell sometimes with his mother, but he just knew she'd be angry. He shrunk down in his seat, but he needn't have worried about that at least. She didn't even acknowledge him. 

The waiting room was small, so when someone sat across from him, it was a bit too close. He recognized the guy, ashy brown hair and bright purple eyes. He was looking at his mom, eyes narrowed. 

Hypothetically, a psychiatrist's office should be a place where you start to turn your life around, but that usually happened with, well, a psychiatrist. 

He was entirely unsure of what to make of the man sitting before him. That man's eyes turned to him, and Shion shrunk in on himself further. He couldn't make eye contact. That gaze, it was a lot. He felt cornered, overwhelmed, he felt his breath hitching. 

"You have a pretty voice, you know that?"

Shion looked up, so stunned it actually stopped the panic somehow. He didn't reply, though. 

The man shrugged. "Sometimes, while you wait to get picked up, you hum to yourself." He smiled in a way that felt both gentle and somehow genuine. Not the same weird, uncomfortable "soft" expressions he usually got. "I guess that's weird to say," he laughed. 

Shion shifted uncomfortably, not quite getting it. 

"Ah, sorry, nerves," the man explained, unprompted. Shion nodded slowly. "My name's Eiichi." Shion stiffened. Usually when someone introduced themselves like this, they wanted something. There was always a reason why people acted friendly. 

But that smile. Actually, no. His eyes. There was something about his eyes. The way he looked at Shion. 

There was some of that-- that pity. But it was overshadowed, compensated by something stronger. Shion couldn't quite place it. 

Eiichi gave him his business card and offered Shion singing lessons. It seemed strange, but he simply took it, not knowing how to politely decline. 

He was entirely unprepared for the storm that followed him telling his parents that evening, in the middle of the yelling. They didn't know who this Eiichi was. Otori Eiichi, from the card. But they looked him up, and everything did change. 

His parents insisted he take these "lessons" from Eiichi. At first, his heart sunk, thinking he'd been taken advantage of, that this was all just to network to his family. 

But once he actually started working with Eiichi, with all of HEAVENS, as of course that'd been his way of asking Shion to join, he realized that wasn't it at all. 

And eventually he also realized what it was he'd seen in Eiichi that day. It was a fire they'd all come to know well, but not in a way the others had really seen. 

Usually, Eiichi's fire was either passion about music, or determination to do what he'd set out to. But it hadn't been that that day. 

In a way, it made sense. Eiichi had grown up taking the brunt of Raging's ire for Eiji. He knew Eiichi had that same fire for a few other members besides himself, but he suspected Eiichi was like this for all of them. Protective. Not in an overbearing way. Protective in a way that made you feel safe. A fire that means the same thing it means even in other contexts-- his passion, his determination. That fire that he saw that day made Shion instantly and subconsciously sure. Eiichi cared. And that-- that was still taking some getting used to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> would ya look at that. I said I wouldn't take another month and here we are, a whole year later. I need to stop making promises to update I'm so sorry y'all.


End file.
